service over his parents' objections. He and Taylor being work together during the Los Angeles deployment in 2008. The reorganization of the 7HCR makes him uncomfortable and he transfers to Fort Huachuca to run the Army intelligence training school. Maj. Manuel Xavier "Manny" Martinez A Mexican-American from a tough background in San Antonio, Martinez serves in the 7HCR as Taylor's senior maintenance officer. He personally attends to the regiment's machines but dies in an enemy bombing of the city of Omsk while finishing repairs to an M-100. Jonathan Waters The United States' first African-American president, Waters supports the US effort in the USSR and approves Taylor's attack plan for Baku against his Cabinet's opposition. However, he later dies of a heart attack in his sleep. Clifton Bouquette. The director of the Unified Intelligence Agency (the successor to the United States Intelligence Community), Bouquette seeks out sexual relationships outside his marriage, leading to his divorce on Christmas Day in 2020. He also opposes Taylor's war strategy and downplays his success. Daisy Fitzgerald A UIA analyst who loves Colonel Taylor, Daisy is concerned about him not coming back from Russia. She does not attend Taylor's memorial service and later sleeps with Bouquette. Japanese Noburu Kabata The commander of all Japanese forces in Soviet Central Asia, Kabata previously served in Zaire and was part of an evacuation crew for Israelis after the Jewish state is destroyed in a nuclear war. A man with a taste for fine living, Kabata is an avid golf player and prefers bespoke suits. Soviets Colonel Viktor Kozlov A former GRU officer assigned as the 7HCR's Soviet Army liaison, Kozlov is often mocked for his broken teeth and bad breath. He later provides Taylor with information on Japan's Baku headquarters, remembering the layout from his service with the Soviet Army occupation forces years earlier. Major Yuri Babryshkin A Soviet tank brigade commander assigned to the Kokchetav front, Babryshkin is appalled at a chemical warfare attack on nearby civilians. The KGB executes him for supposed treason. Valya Babryshkina Yuri's wife, Valya is a prostitute making the rounds in Moscow. She is devastated by her husband's execution but gets over it when she meets an American warrant officer who later proposes to her. Critical reception The book earned highly positive reviews. Kirkus Reviews lauded the book for its gripping writing and material that's easy for non-military readers to understand. Publishers Weekly